Democratic state Reps. Marisa Marquez, left, and Naomi Gonzalez, center, sit next to Republican state Rep. Dee Margo on Wednesday during a town-hall meeting at the El Paso Community College Administrative Services Center Boardroom

County party Chairman Rick Melendrez asked that the state and national parties strip Marquez and Gonzalez of their Democratic Party privileges and affiliation, the day after the party's local executive committee voted to publicly admonish the pair.

Melendrez said the women betrayed Democrats with their support of Margo on a campaign flier in the Republican incumbent's race against Joe Moody, a Democrat who previously held the seat.

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Daniel Borunda

Marquez and Gonzalez previously said that their statements were not an endorsement of Margo, but that they stood by their comments describing Margo as a team player in El Paso's legislative delegation.

Moody and Margo will face off for the third time Nov. 6 in a district in Northeast and West El Paso that is relatively evenly divided between voters from both parties.

"We therefore denounce these actions and request from the State and National Parties that any privileges and benefits accorded Marquez and Gonzalez as Democrats be removed and their party affiliation be anything other than 'Democrat,' " Melendrez said in a news release.

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Melendrez speculated that there may be an "unspoken, unwritten motivation behind this treachery -- money" and that the political action committee, Texans for Lawsuit Reform, which contributed to both of their campaigns, might have asked the two Democrats to support Margo.

Marquez countered that it was "unfortunate" that the local party was questioning her and Gonzalez's Democratic credentials and that she would continue to work in the best interest of El Paso

"I am and will remain a proud Democrat," Marquez said in a statement. "My legislative priorities and voting record support this statement. I choose to focus on issues important to the community as a whole and not a vocal few.

"While the local Democratic Party has chosen to focus on dismantling the unity our delegation has built, my office and I will continue our fight for school board transparency, women's health program funding, the creation of an independent Health Science Center at Texas Tech and moving UTEP towards Tier One status."

Gonzalez and Moody could not be reached for comment.

Gilberto Hinojosa, chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, said he understands that his party is upset and wants to punish the women but that he does not believe he can take unilateral steps to implement what the El Paso County Democratic Party is seeking.

"I'm not sure that I have the authority to deny a Democratic elected official any of the services that the Texas Democratic Party provides," Hinojosa said.

"As best as I know, when it comes to elected officials, there isn't any procedure or policy or anything that authorizes the party to take that kind of action against Democratic elected officials who endorse Republicans."

Hinojosa said the state party has stripped benefits in the past. He said a "right-wing Libertarian got the nomination for the Democratic nominee for Congress" in Fort Bend County and the State Demo cratic Executive Committee adopted a resolution banning any assistance from the Texas Democratic Party.

"This is a woman who had taken the position that President (Barack) Obama wasn't born in the United States. That he needed to be indicted and tried for certain crimes," Hinojosa said. "Pretty drastic lady."

Hinojosa said the case with Marquez and Gonzalez is different from that of the candidate in Fort Bend County. He said he strongly admonishes the women for supporting Margo over Moody, but he said both women have also stated that they do not support the ideals of the Republican Party.

"I'm not happy with them," Hinojosa said. "I made that really clear. I think it was a very grave mistake on their part to do this, but I welcome the fact that they believe in the principles of the Democratic Party and I take that statement to mean that they intend to, when they join the Legislature, support the agenda of our Democratic leadership in the Legislature."

Hinojosa said that the 62-member executive committee would need to vote in favor of the sanctions requested by El Paso County's Democratic Party in order for him to take such action against Marquez and Gonzalez.

"If the executive committee of the Texas Democratic Party met and took up that issue and passed a resolution to that effect, conceivably we might be able to take such action as requested by the El Paso County Democratic Party, but the executive committee of the Texas Democratic Party has not taken that action up to now," Hinojosa said.

On Monday, several Demo cratic clubs in El Paso issued a letter stating their "disdain, displeasure, dissatisfaction and disappointment" with Marquez and Gonzalez for their statements in support of Margo.

"As a result of the actions of said representatives, we call for the condemnation, rebuke and censure of said individuals by the appropriate county, state and national party officials which should include, but not be limited to a suspension of all Democratic activities and recognition until they have in some fashion atoned for their disloyalty to the party, Mr. Moody and all Democratic officials, nominees and candidates representing the party," the letter stated.

The letter was by the presidents of the Black El Paso Democrats, the Eastside Demo crats, the El Paso Young Democrats, the Paso del Norte Tejano Democrats, the Westside Democrats and the West El Paso Tejano Democrats.

Margo described the backlash by the members of the Democrat Party against both women as "immature."

"I think it's ironical that we talk about bipartisanship, we talk about the need for bipartisanship, we talk about the fact that there's not enough bipartisanship, and yet when bipartisanship is displayed, it's railed against," Margo said.

"I can't believe that," Margo said. "The reality of it is we've got to work together because we're a red state and every pundit on both sides of the aisle says that there will be 90 to 95 Republicans in the House of Representatives. So it is imperative for us to have at least one member of our delegation be able to represent the majority party as we work together to get things done on behalf of El Paso."

Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com; 546-6102. Follow him on Twitter @BorundaDaniel. Times reporters Zahira Torres, Hayley Kappes and Aaron Bracamontes contributed to this story.